The study provides valuable information on how they want to stay informed of what is happening in and around the port of Den Helder in terms of accessibility, safety and quality of life. Awareness of the Maritime Cluster varies: 39% of people know it well, 46% know it a little and 15% do not know it yet. The Maritime Cluster programme team wants to improve this.
What do the participants consider important?
Participants are predominantly positive about developments in the port: 18% call them very positive and 42% positive. Only a small proportion (approximately 9%) experience them as negative. Three-quarters of participants consider improvements in infrastructure and accessibility to be important. A safe naval port, growth opportunities for local companies and expansion of the port are also important. Many participants also want to know how they will be involved in these plans.
Communications and News
The Maritime Cluster’s newsletter is widely read; 43% of participants already receive it, and 46% have signed up through the survey. Local news outlets such as the Stadsnieuws pages, Helderse Courant, and Noordkop 24/7 are also widely used. The social media channels of our municipality and the Maritime Cluster are less well known, even though news is posted there regularly—for example, on the Maritime Cluster’s LinkedIn page.
Responses to the open-ended questions
The open-ended questions reveal that people are primarily concerned with accessibility, quality of life, and clear information. Accessibility to Texel, the naval port, and the port of Den Helder is frequently mentioned. At the same time, people believe that improvements should not come at the expense of local residents and that the living environment should remain safe and attractive. There is appreciation for the collaboration between the municipality, the province, and the Ministry of Defense, but there are also calls to involve residents, businesses, and the region early on and in a clear manner.
Continued
This study will help further improve communication and better tailor it to the needs of the various groups. The program team will actively work on this and will also involve the Nieuwe Diep/Nieuwe Werk Focus Group.
